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Japan PM Abe names new defence, foreign ministers in cabinet revamp

Thu, Aug 03, 2017 - 1:05 PM

Itsunori Onodera, a former defence chief, is to return to the defence ministry - rocked by the resignation last week of close Abe political ally Tomomi Inada.

PHOTO: REUTERS

[TOKYO] Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Thursday named new defence and foreign ministers as part of a cabinet revamp he hopes will stem a decline in public support after a series of scandals and missteps.

Itsunori Onodera, a former defence chief, is to return to the defence ministry - rocked by the resignation last week of close Abe political ally Tomomi Inada.

Taro Kono, the son of a former foreign minister, will become the country's new top diplomat.

Political blueblood Abe, in office since late December 2012, has pushed a nationalist agenda alongside a massive policy effort to end years of on-off deflation and rejuvenate the world's third-largest economy.

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But he has seen public support rates plummet in the past few months over an array of political troubles, including allegations of favouritism to a friend in a business deal - which Mr Abe strongly denies.